śrī-vasudeva uvāca
namo vaḥ sarva-devebhya
ṛṣayaḥ śrotum arhatha
karmaṇā karma-nirhāro
yathā syān nas tad ucyatām
sri-vasudevah uvaca -- Sri Vasudeva said; namah -- obeisances; vah -- to you; sarva -- all; devebhyah -- (who comprise) the demigods; rishayah -- O sages; srotum arhatha -- please listen; karmana -- by material work; karma -- of (previous) work; nirharah -- the purging; yatha -- how; syat -- there may be; nah -- to us; tat -- that; ucyatam -- please say.
Sri Vasudeva said: Obeisances to you, the residence of all the demigods. Please hear me, O sages. Kindly tell us how the reactions of one's work can be counteracted by further work.
Here Vasudeva addresses the sages as "the residence of all the demigods." His statement is confirmed in the authoritative sruti-mantras, which declare, yavatir vai devatas tah sarva veda-vidi brahmane vasanti: "Whatever demigods exist, all reside in a brahmana who knows the Veda."
